The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended his decision to offer councillors ₦10 million each for delivering their respective wards to President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections, insisting that the arrangement has nothing to do with vote-buying.
Wike said the financial incentive was intended to reward political mobilisation and commitment rather than encourage councillors to pay residents to vote for the President.
He made the clarification on Tuesday, November 10, while inspecting ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja, following criticism of his earlier announcement.
The minister explained that he had challenged the councillors to work hard, engage residents and convince them to support Tinubu, promising to reward those who successfully delivered their wards.
He questioned why rewarding political mobilisation should be considered improper, drawing a comparison with incentives given to athletes who win trophies at international competitions.
Wike also argued that political parties and candidates routinely spend money on campaign advertisements without facing similar accusations of attempting to buy votes.
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“Journalists should understand the difference between giving voters money to influence their decisions and rewarding people for political mobilisation,” he added.
The FCT minister had announced the ₦10 million offer on Monday during a meeting with political stakeholders, traditional rulers and councillors in Kwali Area Council.
“Any councillor that delivers his ward will get N10 million reward. Therefore, go and meet your leaders, go and meet your youth groups, go and consult with associations. Let’s deliver our ward to Mr President,” Wike urged the gathering.
He described the initiative as part of the Rainbow Coalition’s grassroots mobilisation strategy to secure support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.
Under the arrangement, councillors are expected to work with party leaders and other political stakeholders in their respective wards to build support for the President.
The announcement has attracted criticism, with questions raised about the distinction between incentivising political mobilisation and offering financial rewards tied to electoral outcomes.